I read with interest an article published in the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister paper) on Monday in which former Nanya Institute of Technology assistant professor Chang Chu-hsin (張助馨) provided suggestions for mitigating water shortages in Chiayi and Yunlin counties. I could not agree more with his suggested solutions.
As I travel around the country, I often see how fresh water in rivers ultimately flows into the ocean, and think how much of a shame it is that this water cannot be used.
If we could intercept this fresh water, it would at least partially solve the regional water shortage problem.
Taiwan is a mountainous island with fast-running rivers and limited habitable land. There are few options for constructing dams, and the north of the island is mostly unsuitable for construction, as the river outlets are in densely populated areas where land is scarce and pollution levels are high.
In the west, in Yilan and Miaoli counties, as well as the central and southern areas of Taiwan, there is less river pollution and estuaries are more spacious. It would be feasible to build dams in those areas to intercept the water before it flows out into the ocean, either in the intertidal zone or slightly further upstream.
There are a number of solutions being implemented or planned to solve the water shortage issue, such as new dams, dredging reservoirs, water recycling for industrial use and sea water desalination.
The government, water agencies, and academic and research institutions should conduct preliminary viability studies such as site selection evaluations, measurement and assessment of river flow volumes, area and depth requirements of dams, and cost surveys and environmental impact assessments, to determine whether the construction of dams in those areas are viable.
If these can mitigate water shortages in dry seasons for tourism and farming or other marginal utilities, this would be of national benefit.
Kenny Shyu is an adjunct professor at National Taiwan Ocean University.
Translated by Paul Cooper
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